L5R Speculation in 2017
Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 8:18 pm
So, in 2017 a new era for the Legend of the Five Rings (L5R) is going to dawn under the stewardship of Fantasy Flight Games (FFG). With the conversion to a Living Card Game (LCG), L5R is in a position to undergo significant changes. While details are vague at best, we do know mechanically the game will be 100% incompatible with the CCG produced by AEG. Assuming a GenCon 2017 release, that gives FFG 22+ months to design, playtest, print and ship a product. I think that is more than enough time to accomplish this feat as the entire model we are used to is a thing of the past. So, in order to better understand what to expect, let's look at FFG's other products.
"A Living Card Game® (LCG®) offers an innovative fixed distribution method that breaks away from the traditional Collectible Card Game model. While LCGs still offer the same dynamic, expanding, and constantly evolving game play that makes CCG’s so much fun, they do away with the deterrent of the blind-buy purchase model that has burned out so many players. The end result is an innovative mix that gives you the best of both worlds!
"The Core Set is the heart of a LCG. Each LCG’s Core Set is a completely self-contained game experience packed with content, including high-quality game pieces and immersive game aides designed to enhance play. Additionally, each Core Set contains multiple decks that provide an exciting and infinitely replayable game experience right out of the box.
"While the LCG Core Sets provide a fantastic stand alone game experience, those that wish to can expand even further! Monthly installments of expansion packs, each a set of fixed cards, provide ongoing and regular additions to the available card pool. These expansion packs add customization, variety, and an ongoing sense of theme to your experiences with the Core Game, while evolving the play environment in exciting new ways."
Now, let's take an in depth look at FFG's other LCGs regarding card pools for their base sets. Thank you Tekwych over at the FFG forums for the breakdown.
A Game of Thrones: The Card Game Second Edition
28 Plot cards
20 Stark cards
20 Lannister cards
20 Baratheon cards
20 Greyjoy cards
20 Targaryen cards
20 Martell cards
20 Tyrell cards
20 Night’s Watch cards
31 Neutral cards
1 Fealty Agenda card
8 Faction/Agenda cards
6 Melee title cards
Two to four players sharing a single core set can enjoy a full game experience without the need to build their own decks by using pre-constructed “out-of-the-box” decks. These decks are intended only for games played out of a single core set, and ignore the loyalty rules that are used for custom deckbuilding. This is enough for 4 people to play with ’starter’ decks using Just or melee rules. Starter Decks would be Stark, Night’s Watch, Targaryen, and Lannister. These are not fully tournament ready decks.
Android: Netrunner The Card Game
28 Haas-Bioroid Cards
28 Jinteki Cards
28 Weyland Consortium Cards
28 NBN Cards
22 Neutral Corporation Cards
33 Anarch Cards
33 Criminal Cards
33 Shaper Cards
15 Neutral Runner Cards
To make a starter deck, take all the cards of a single Corporate or Runner faction and shuffle in all of the neutral cards for the chosen side. Starter decks are legal for tournament play. This means two playable decks at any one time.
Star Wars: The Card Game
240 Cards, consisting of:
- 117 light side cards
- 117 dark side cards
- 3 Force cards (dark side)
- 3 Force cards (light side)
36 Objective Sets in 6 factions and 2 neutral factions
Rebel Alliance - 7 Objective Sets
Smugglers and Spies - 2 Objective Sets
Jedi - 7 Objective Sets
Imperial Navy - 7 Objective Sets
Scum and Villainy - 2 Objective Sets
Sith - 7 Objective Sets
Neutral Light - 2 Objective Sets
Neutral Dark - 2 Objective Sets
This is enough for ’starter’ decks for Jedi, Alliance, Navy, and Sith. These are not fully tournament ready decks.
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest
30 Space Marine Cards
30 Astra Militarum Cards
30 Ork Cards
30 Chaos Cards
30 Dark Eldar Cards
30 Eldar Cards
30 Tau Cards
12 Neutral Cards
10 Planet Cards
2 Reference Cards
40 Miniature Cards (for token units)
This is enough cards to make 2 ‘starter’ decks at any one time. These decks can be based on any of the factions and their are two variations of each for 14 possible ‘starter’ decks right out of box. Starter decks are legal for tournament play.
So, using A Game of Thrones Second Edition and Warhammer 40,000: Conquest as an example, what do you think we can expect in a base set with a relaunch of Legend of the Five Rings? I am not versed in the ways of FFG's LCG models but it seems to me A Game of Thrones has been their most ambitious game yet with eight factions out of the box. I was informed Warhammer just announced two new factions in a deluxe expansion so it is possible to see Shadowlands Horde, Ratlings, Naga and other classic L5R factions represented but I doubt we'd see them in an initial launch. I think it is safe to say FFG will at most launch with eight Great Clans. Of course how FFG relaunches L5R with regards to story could allow anywhere from seven to nine factions. Right now there seems to be two popular ideas:
1) A Clan Wars reboot with the original seven clans.
2) An Onyx/post-Onyx Edition reboot with the nine modern Great Clans. Spider as a Great Clan or Shadowlands Horde is up in the air.
Regardless, that means each Great Clan or "Faction" would get 20-30 specific cards in the base set. Going forward, their expansions are 20 cards (with 3 copies of each card), allowing design space dedicated to 14-18 for Faction specific cards.
Knowing the game is being completely redesigned, what do YOU see happening in 2017?
"A Living Card Game® (LCG®) offers an innovative fixed distribution method that breaks away from the traditional Collectible Card Game model. While LCGs still offer the same dynamic, expanding, and constantly evolving game play that makes CCG’s so much fun, they do away with the deterrent of the blind-buy purchase model that has burned out so many players. The end result is an innovative mix that gives you the best of both worlds!
"The Core Set is the heart of a LCG. Each LCG’s Core Set is a completely self-contained game experience packed with content, including high-quality game pieces and immersive game aides designed to enhance play. Additionally, each Core Set contains multiple decks that provide an exciting and infinitely replayable game experience right out of the box.
"While the LCG Core Sets provide a fantastic stand alone game experience, those that wish to can expand even further! Monthly installments of expansion packs, each a set of fixed cards, provide ongoing and regular additions to the available card pool. These expansion packs add customization, variety, and an ongoing sense of theme to your experiences with the Core Game, while evolving the play environment in exciting new ways."
Now, let's take an in depth look at FFG's other LCGs regarding card pools for their base sets. Thank you Tekwych over at the FFG forums for the breakdown.
A Game of Thrones: The Card Game Second Edition
28 Plot cards
20 Stark cards
20 Lannister cards
20 Baratheon cards
20 Greyjoy cards
20 Targaryen cards
20 Martell cards
20 Tyrell cards
20 Night’s Watch cards
31 Neutral cards
1 Fealty Agenda card
8 Faction/Agenda cards
6 Melee title cards
Two to four players sharing a single core set can enjoy a full game experience without the need to build their own decks by using pre-constructed “out-of-the-box” decks. These decks are intended only for games played out of a single core set, and ignore the loyalty rules that are used for custom deckbuilding. This is enough for 4 people to play with ’starter’ decks using Just or melee rules. Starter Decks would be Stark, Night’s Watch, Targaryen, and Lannister. These are not fully tournament ready decks.
Android: Netrunner The Card Game
28 Haas-Bioroid Cards
28 Jinteki Cards
28 Weyland Consortium Cards
28 NBN Cards
22 Neutral Corporation Cards
33 Anarch Cards
33 Criminal Cards
33 Shaper Cards
15 Neutral Runner Cards
To make a starter deck, take all the cards of a single Corporate or Runner faction and shuffle in all of the neutral cards for the chosen side. Starter decks are legal for tournament play. This means two playable decks at any one time.
Star Wars: The Card Game
240 Cards, consisting of:
- 117 light side cards
- 117 dark side cards
- 3 Force cards (dark side)
- 3 Force cards (light side)
36 Objective Sets in 6 factions and 2 neutral factions
Rebel Alliance - 7 Objective Sets
Smugglers and Spies - 2 Objective Sets
Jedi - 7 Objective Sets
Imperial Navy - 7 Objective Sets
Scum and Villainy - 2 Objective Sets
Sith - 7 Objective Sets
Neutral Light - 2 Objective Sets
Neutral Dark - 2 Objective Sets
This is enough for ’starter’ decks for Jedi, Alliance, Navy, and Sith. These are not fully tournament ready decks.
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest
30 Space Marine Cards
30 Astra Militarum Cards
30 Ork Cards
30 Chaos Cards
30 Dark Eldar Cards
30 Eldar Cards
30 Tau Cards
12 Neutral Cards
10 Planet Cards
2 Reference Cards
40 Miniature Cards (for token units)
This is enough cards to make 2 ‘starter’ decks at any one time. These decks can be based on any of the factions and their are two variations of each for 14 possible ‘starter’ decks right out of box. Starter decks are legal for tournament play.
So, using A Game of Thrones Second Edition and Warhammer 40,000: Conquest as an example, what do you think we can expect in a base set with a relaunch of Legend of the Five Rings? I am not versed in the ways of FFG's LCG models but it seems to me A Game of Thrones has been their most ambitious game yet with eight factions out of the box. I was informed Warhammer just announced two new factions in a deluxe expansion so it is possible to see Shadowlands Horde, Ratlings, Naga and other classic L5R factions represented but I doubt we'd see them in an initial launch. I think it is safe to say FFG will at most launch with eight Great Clans. Of course how FFG relaunches L5R with regards to story could allow anywhere from seven to nine factions. Right now there seems to be two popular ideas:
1) A Clan Wars reboot with the original seven clans.
2) An Onyx/post-Onyx Edition reboot with the nine modern Great Clans. Spider as a Great Clan or Shadowlands Horde is up in the air.
Regardless, that means each Great Clan or "Faction" would get 20-30 specific cards in the base set. Going forward, their expansions are 20 cards (with 3 copies of each card), allowing design space dedicated to 14-18 for Faction specific cards.
Knowing the game is being completely redesigned, what do YOU see happening in 2017?